Odd Owl

Odd Owl started with Carmen Caruso and Phil Jacobsen tinkering with some songs in Caruso's basement in February 2010. A couple of months later, they had enough material for a live set and toured up the coast, to Oregon and Washington, after performing their first gig at Brainwash.

The San Francisco band labels itself as "progressive pop," and it's right on the money. Its songs aren't as catchy as they are melodic sound waves that accompany Caruso's amazing, classically trained vocals.

Was there a band you heard when you were young that inspired you to become a musician?

CC: I started taking piano lessons at age 5, and learning to play music just came so naturally to me. At age 6, I informed my teacher, in that matter-of-fact tone kids use, that I would become a professional musician someday. So far nothing's changed.

How does living in the Bay Area affect your music?

CC: This is a challenging time to be making music in the Bay Area, but I'm proud to be a part of it. The music community here has great energy, and has been really supportive and nurturing to fledging bands like ours. Of course, the mounting expenses that our group and really every musician has had to deal with here have been difficult to navigate at times.

What's the most important aspect to putting on a live show?

CC: The most important aspect of a good show is connecting with your audience. A fan can listen to your music at home, but they don't get to see what you're like in person until they make it out to a show. I always appreciate it when I walk away from a show feeling like I got to know the artist a little better: whether they cracked me up, danced around, or had a heartfelt conversation with the audience.

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